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Bhartiya Janta Party Rajya Sabha MP Harnath Singh Yadav on Sunday slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's 'saffronisation' of textbooks remark.
Yadav asked what objection does Rahul Gandhi have to the saffron colour. Yadav also asked Gandhi to read history to understand the identity and the cultural background of the country to understand its association with the saffron colour. Speaking to ANI, Yadav lambasted Gandhi and said, "Saffron is the identity and cultural background of this country. From the Mahabharata period till today, sadhus, saints, and ascetics who wore and bore flags of saffron had fought for religion and policy." The BJP MP further said that the colour saffron is a "center of inspiration". "It is the power centre of the whole country. It is the colour that provides energy. Why do have an objection to it?" he said. In a series of tweets, Gandhi on Saturday slammed the BJP government in Karnataka for the textbook controversy and said that the 'saffronisation' of textbooks is an insult to India's diversity. A controversy erupted in Karnataka over the alleged inclusion of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's (RSS) ideology in school textbooks. Some Kannada writers, including professor SG Siddaramaiah and Devnoor Mahadev, have sought the withdrawal of their works from the textbooks reportedly in protest against the inclusion of a speech by RSS founder KB Hedgewar and exclusion of works of social reformers like Narayan Guru, among others. The Karnataka government on Friday announced the dissolution of the state textbook review committee. The move came amid controversy over textbook revisions. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Karnataka government has been embroiled in a controversy after the textbook review committee included RSS founder KB Hedgewar's speech in school textbooks, while allegedly omitting chapters on freedom fighters, social reformers and litterateurs. Bommai emphasized that the government is open to further revision in the textbooks. Several seers and prominent personalities had objected to revising a chapter on the 12th-century reformist Basavanna. Notably, a section of seers alleged that social reformer Basavanna's teachings have been distorted in the revised Kannada and social science textbooks for Class X students. The seers have also accused the review committee insulted poet Kuvempu's state anthem. The state government issued a clarification that the distorted state anthem was not part of any textbook. The government ordered the cyber crime department to look into the allegations and take necessary actions in this regard. A controversy erupted last month over revision in the textbooks. Seers and opposition parties had sought the sacking of the review committee chief Rohith Chakratirtha. (ANI)
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